Cutting machine as well as method for cutting elastic strings, in particular meat strings

ABSTRACT

A cutting machine for cutting up pre-compressed meat strands into slices and a method for slicing pre-compressed meat strands, wherein the blade is moved forward in the feed direction to a limited extent after the blade has completely cut off a slice, and is either subsequently or simultaneously moved backward in the transversal direction. In this way, the forward movement of the meat strand to cut off the next slice can be started earlier.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of PCT Application No.PCT/EP2017/060014 filed on Apr. 27, 2017 and German Application No.102016107849.2 filed on Apr. 28, 2016 to Thomas Völkl and Martin Mayr,the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to slicing an elastic strand like e.g. a meatstrand into weight precise slices.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Producing weight precise slices or portions from an elastic strandmaterial is rather simple when the strand material has an identicalcross section over its entire length and it is made from a homogenousmaterial that can be cut everywhere with the same ease, like e.g.sausage or cheese.

For this purpose so called slicers are known which cut off a respectiveslice with a typically circular or spiral shaped rotating blade whichcan be moved back and forth respectively transversal to the strand,whereas the typically exposed strand is moved forward continuously.

A meat strand e.g. roast beef however does not have these propertiessince each piece has a different configuration and additionally a crosssection that changes over time and the meat strand includes materialwith different consistency hardness and elasticity for example fatportions, the muscle strand, the enveloping fascia and optionally alsobones like in a pork chop which have quite different mechanicalproperties.

In this context it is already known to shape a salmon initially so thatit has a defined, known cross section at least at an end where the nextslice is being cut off advantageously over an entire length, at least ata point in time when the slice is cut off. Then a relationship betweenthe adjustable thickness of the slice and the weight of the slice can beestablished though not 100% since a consistency of the meat can changefrom one slice to another wherein the components of the meat havedifferent specific weights.

In order to achieve this deformation the typically slightly frozensalmon is initially inserted into a form tube and pressed in the axialdirection by a longitudinal press plunger against a stop so that a crosssection of the salmon expands to that it fills an entire inner pre spaceof the form tube.

Thus form tubes with different cross sections can be used depending onthe dimension of the salmon and a cross section of the form tube can beadjusted additionally after the salmon is inserted, for example in thattwo opposite side walls of the form tube are moved towards each otherwhich also causes a transversal compression of the salmon which actsgently upon the structure of the fish.

In cutting machines of this type the salmon can only be inserted intothe form tube after the longitudinal press plunger or the transversalpress plunger were removed from the form rube and a loading opening,typically a rear opening of the form tube is freely accessible.

This causes rather long idle times between the cutting phases and hasrequired hand loading to this date.

In order to integrate a cutting machine of this type into a processingline, typically including a froster, one or plural cutting machinesoperating in parallel, a scale, a portioning/insertion device forinserting the portions/slices into a dish and optionally a sealingmachine for tight sealing of the dishes. It is disadvantageous thateither an employee for loading one to three cutting machines is requiredfor this purpose or a high level of automation is required in order notto need this employee.

Additionally the individual form tubes, thus meat strands have to behandle able individually since cutlets have to be able to cut from a topshell after removing the quality cut off.

On the other hand side minute steaks can be cut from a pork back afterremoving the quality cut off and the residual piece made from red meatcan be used for roast beef.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION a) Technical Object

Thus it is an object of the invention to provide a cutting machine and acutting method which facilitates in spite of a simple configuration andoperation to achieve short idle times and thus a high through put whilebe able to produce weight precise slices and portions.

b) Solution

This object is achieved by the features of claims 1 and 23. Advantageousembodiments can be derived from the dependent claims.

For the purpose of the instant invention subsequently only meat strandsare discussed without limiting the invention with the special type of astrand made from an elastic material.

The object is also achieved by the following method.

One measure for reducing idle times consists in moving the blade, whichrepresents a component of a cutting unit, axially forward in thetransversal direction, that is, in the feed direction, in particular byapproximately the thickness of one slice, immediately after the foremostslice has been cut off, and namely either before or at the latest duringthe backward movement.

As a result, the strand, in particular the meat strand, can be movedforward to beyond the front end of the form tube, in particular up tothe stop plate, which can begin not only at the point in time when theblade has completely moved out of the cross-sectional area of the innerfree space of the form tube, but already before that, in particular assoon as the forward movement of the blade in the feed direction hasbegun, whereby the time interval between two subsequent steps isconsiderably reduced and thus the efficiency of the machine isincreased.

Of course, following this procedure, that is, when the blade hascompletely moved out of the cross-sectional area of the form tube in thetransversal direction, the blade has to be returned to its axial cuttingposition, the starting position, in the axial direction counter to thefeed direction, so that the blade in the side view onto the longitudinaldirection, on the one hand, and the movement direction of the blade, inparticular the so-called second transversal direction, on the otherhand, move along a path that is closed in a ring-shaped manner, forexample a rectangular or trapezoid path, in every step.

Preferably, a stop plate for the strand is provided, and in particularrepresents a component of the cutting unit, and is thus connected to theblade. Preferably, the stop plate does not move along on thisring-shaped, closed path of the blades, but moves together with theblade only in the transversal direction, and—as long as the desiredslice thickness is not changed—thus remains at the same axial positionas a strand is being cut. In that case, only its axial distance and/orits distance in the other transversal direction to the blade can bealtered.

With a rotating, non-circular-disc-shaped blade of the flying circle ofthe blade, the stop plate and the blade preferably do not overlap witheach other as viewed in the feed direction, but instead a small gap forpassing the cut-off slice is present between them.

Among other things, the shape retention of the strand and thus of thecut-off slices is ensured by means of the following measures:

The strand to be cut, such as for example a strand of meat, is arrangedinside a form tube extending in the longitudinal direction in such a waythat its greatest extension, its longitudinal direction, corresponds tothe longitudinal direction of the form tube. Subsequently, the strand iscompressed in at least one transversal direction, the so-called secondtransversal direction, by using the form tube, so that it gets a definedcross section which is substantially constant across the entire length.

In this transversally compressed condition, the strand thustransversally compressed is at first longitudinally compressed in thelongitudinal direction against a stop inside the form tube eitherpreviously, simultaneously or subsequently, in particular by means of alongitudinal press plunger, and is subsequently moved forward to beyondthe so-called blade end of the form tube, so that a slice can berespectively cut off from the strand in front of the cutting end of theform tube.

The compression is used to completely fill the free cross section of theform tube with the strand, and thus the slices have a defined surfacearea transversal to their longitudinal direction.

Cutting off a respective slice can be performed with the same blade andin the same process step in all form tubes, and thus in all meatstrands. In order to cut off the slices, the blade is advantageouslymoved back and forth for each step in a transversal direction, inparticular in the second transversal direction.

In addition to the transversal compression in the second transversaldirection, a transversal compressing in a first transversal direction,which is preferably positioned perpendicularly to the second transversaldirection, may—in particular previously—occur, either already in theform tube, in particular before the circumferentially closed form tubeis closed, or already before inserting into the form tube.

The approach as it has been described so far as well as the approachthat will be described in the following can also be performed inmultiple form tubes that extend next to each other, in particular inparallel to each other, and inside of which respectively one strand isinserted and processed. Here, the longitudinal and/or transversalcompressing can be performed in the individual form tubes independentlyof each other. In particular, the cutting off of slices from theindividual strands is performed by the same blade by means of the samecutting movement across multiple, in particular all, form tubes.

When the slices are cut off, the blade, for example a rotating circulardisc-shaped or sickle-shaped blade or an oscillating bar-shaped orstrip-shaped blade or a circumferential continuous band-shaped blade iscontrolled with respect to its speed and/or the velocity of itstransversal movement in such a manner that, in a manner adapted to thematerial to be cut, the performed step is a so-called pulling cut to thedesired extent, that is, a particular point of the cutting edge moves inthe circumferential direction with a velocity that is greater by apredetermined factor than the velocity in the transversal direction.

Thus the transversal compressing can be performed in the secondtransversal direction which is advantageously perpendicular to the firsttransversal direction and advantageously both are perpendicular to thelongitudinal direction with a transversal press plunger with apredetermined non variable width corresponding to a final dimensionduring transversal compressing in the first transversal direction,advantageously for the individual meat strands independently from eachother with respect to the degree of transversal compression in thesecond transversal direction.

Moving the compressed at least one meat strand forward can be performedsynchronously or independently from each other and thus in the sameprocess step for differently advanced meat strands also slices withdifferent thickness and due to the individually adjustable transversalcompression in the transversal direction also slices with differentcross section and thus size can be cut off in one process step.

The meat strand is advantageously pressed in longitudinal directionagainst a stop element that is respectively arranged in front of aforward end of the form tube, in particular a stop plate which isadvantageously adjustable for each form tube independently from eachother with its axial distance from the axial cutting position of thecutting blade corresponding to a desired thickness of the slice to becut off. Since the blade is in contact with the forward cutting end ofthe form tube or at a fixed very small axial distance therefrom the stopelement is adjusted at a particular axial distance from the forwardcutting end of the form tube.

Another measure for reducing the dead times includes that the form tubeis configured in two components in its longitudinal direction and madefrom a front form tube terminating at the forward cutting edge end and arear form tube adjacent thereto in a rear direction.

Thus, it is possible for the rear form tube to be already loaded with anew strand to be cut, while the rest of the old strand that remains tobe cut is located only in the front form tube and is moved furtherforward inside it, in particular by means of the longitudinal pressplunger, and is completely cut up.

For this purpose, the rear form tube can preferably be brought from acircumferentially closed into a circumferentially opened loadingposition.

Between the front form tube and the rear form tube, an intermediateplate is insertable and extractable in a transversal direction, inparticular the second transversal direction.

The transversal compression in the front form tube can be performed as afunction of the transversal compression in the rear form tube arrangedbehind the front form tube.

In the circumferentially closed compressing position of the form tubethe cross sections of the front form tube and the rear form tube arecertainly set identical since the same meat strand filling the entirecross section shall move through both of them.

Advantageously no transversal compressing is performed in the front formtube in both transversal directions but only in the second transversaldirection.

The front form tube and the rear form tube can be operated independentlyfrom each other with respect to a strength of the transversalcompression at least in one transversal direction, advantageously inboth transversal directions independently from each other.

As soon as, during cutting the meat strand, a rear end portion of themeat strand is located only in the longitudinal portion of the frontform tube and is moved further forward by the press plunger pressingaxially from behind for further cutting simultaneously the lower rearform tube of the rear form tube can be lowered in its entirety or atleast its rear portion into a loading position that is aligned with thefeeder for new meat strands and in particular aligned horizontally.

Thus in particular the inner free cross section of the rear form tube isenlarged with respect to its cross section, advantageously heightenlarged and/or advantageously also width enlarged.

Thus already during cutting the rest of the preceding meat strand in thefront form tube a new meat strand can already be inserted into the openrear form tube of the same form tube, in particular below the piston rodof the longitudinal press plunger extending into the front form tube andcan be transported forward to the front end of the rear form tube, inparticular an intermediate plate arranged therein.

This saves valuable time again compared to a solution where the formtube is only opened after completely slicing the first meat strand sothat the next meat strand can be inserted.

In order to increase the inner free cross section of the rear form tubeeither the lower rear form element which is configured U-shaped in crosssection with an upward oriented opening parallel to the upper rear formelement which is configured as a transversal press plunger that isinsert able into the opening of the U-shape can be removed therefrom oralso about a transversal axis which is arranged in particular proximalto or at the front end of the lower rear form element, the rear end ofthe rear form tube element can be pivoted downward.

Additionally a side wall of two rear form tubes arranged adjacent to oneanother advantageously the outer side wall can be configured as aseparate component that is moveable in the first transversal directionrelative to the rest of the entire U-shaped lower rear form element andcan be run in outward direction compared thereto in order to facilitateproviding an interior space for inserting a new meat strand.

As soon as the new meat strand is inserted typically by inserting aslide that is moveable in the longitudinal direction for example a slidethat protrudes from above into the free space of the U-shaped lower formelement initially if provided the side wall that is moveable in thefirst transversal direction is moved inward as a transversal pressingwall of the rear form tube for inserting a width of the U-shaped lowerrear form portion in this transversal direction, wherein optionally alsoa transversal compressing of the meat strand can occur in the firsttransversal direction.

The new meat strand is now arranged in the lower portion of the openrear form tube and the preceding meat strand is still cut up completelyand the longitudinal press plunger is pulled back beyond the rear end ofthe newly inserted meat strand which can be respectively determined by asensor so that the pull-back movement of the longitudinal press plungeradvantageously is only performed up to this location.

Then the rear form tube is closed again thus the lower rear formelement, the U-element is moved in upward direction or pivoted upwarduntil it is aligned with the lower front form tube and thus not onlyapproached to the non-down folded transversal press plunger. Thetransversal press plunger thus also penetrates into the U-element.Loading the transversal press plunger in the second transversaldirection, for example by at least one pneumatic or hydraulic operatingcylinder performs the transversal compressing in the second transversaldirection.

The longitudinal compressing of the meat strand commences thereafterwith a pre-compression up to the intermediate plate as a forward stop atthe front end of the rear form tube which was moved before longitudinalcompressing into the closing position in the transversal direction sothat it closes the free inner cross section of the form tube. Thusforces occurring during longitudinal compression do not have to beabsorbed by another element, e.g. the stop plate which thus can beconfigured with reduced weight which yields speed advantages in view ofthe continuous acceleration and breaking action during slicing.

Thus, the meat strand is pushed further forward after pre compressionexclusively in the rear form tube after removing the intermediate platefrom the free cross section of the rear form tube wherein the forwardmovement is performed into the front form tube, then the front form tubeis previously set to the same size, in particular height and/or width ofthe free inner cross section like the rear form tube. Advantageously thefront form tube has a constant width and during pre-compression in therear form tube, the rear form tube is set precisely to the width of theinner free cross section of the front form tube.

In the second transversal direction this can be optionally achieved verysimply in that the transversal press plunger which performs thetransversal compression in the second transversal direction continuesthrough the front form tube and the rear form tube and is moved jointlyrelative to the remaining form tube components in the transversaldirection, thus typically lowered from a top down or lifted up.

Advantageously the transversal compressing is already performed in thesecond transversal direction while the meat strand is still exclusivelyin the portion of the rear form tube.

Thereafter the intermediate plate is moved so that it releases the freeinner cross section of the form tube and the transversally compressedmeat strand is moved further forward by the longitudinal press plungerinto the front form tube and through the front form tube until inparticular to the stop plate and then slicing the new meat strand cancommence.

A transversal compression in the first transversal direction is thusadvantageously not performed in the front form tube but the entire frontform tube has a fixed width in the first transversal directioncorresponding to the closed compressing condition of the rear form tubein the first transversal direction.

Instead of performing the transversal compression in the rear form tubethe transversal compression can be performed alternatively in the firsttransversal direction also in front of the rear form tube in passthrough direction in a separate transversal pressing device inparticular a transversal pressing tube which is configured in analogy tothe lower rear formed element that is U-shaped in cross section.

In order for the meat strands to be easily moveable into the open rearform tube from behind the rear end of the rear form tube should bearrange able in alignment in the loading position relative to a base ofits groove shaped inner free space with the adjacent front end of thefeeder, typically configured as a conveyor belt or the conveyor beltshould terminate slightly higher and should optionally be slopeddownward.

In order to prevent that a meat strand resting on the downward slopingportion of the conveyor slides forward unintentionally advantageouslythe portion of the feeder adjacent to the rear form tube is configuredvertically moveable in that as soon as a meat strand is arranged thereonthe front end of the feeder is folded downward and in an alignedposition with a rear portion of the inner free space of the rear formtube or for the same purpose instead the rear end of the rear form tubeis pivoted upward.

In order to facilitate inserting the meat strand into the form tube atleast one wall of the form tube advantageously the lower wall,optionally also the opposite upper wall of the form tube can beconfigured move able in the longitudinal direction, e.g. configured as aconveyor belt and is moved together with the meat strand to be insertedand in particular also driven to move the meat strand axially forward.

The cut off slices and/or the portions built therefrom are weighedimmediately after being cut off from the meat strand if possible.

Should it become apparent during weighing the individual slices orportions downstream of the blade that the subsequent slices or theportions that are being accumulated do not have the target weight inthis setting the subsequent slices to be cut off can be selected thickeror thinner through a corresponding axial adjustment of the slicethickness so that the next slice has the target weight or the completedportion has the nominal weight.

Regarding the cutting machine the object is achieved by the followingconfiguration which among other things facilitates the previouslydescribed method during slicing.

A blade for cutting off slices from the meat strands is arranged infront of the forward cutting edge of the form tube in the known manner.

The blade and in particular the cutting unit that supports the blade isadvantageously moveable back and forth and controllable by means of acontrol in a first blade transversal direction in which it passescompletely through the cross section of the meat strand during cuttingof the slice in order to perform the cutting process and the blade isadditionally moveable back and forth in a controlled manner by a limiteddistance also in the longitudinal direction thus the feed direction.

In this way, the blade, in particular the entire cutting unit, can movealong a path that is closed in a ring-shaped manner, in particular arectangular or trapezoid path, during each cut-off procedure by way of acutting motion, as viewed in the side view onto the feed direction andthe blade transversal direction.

The blade is advantageously a bar shaped or strip shaped blade which hasa straight or cambered cutting edge and in which the cutting edge,advantageously certainly the entire blade performs an oscillatingmovement in an oscillating direction whose largest component is disposedin a direction of the cutting edge.

For a straight cutting edge the oscillating direction advantageouslycoincides with the extension of the cutting edge or extends at least atan acute angle to the extension in the blade plane.

For a curved cutting edge the statement relates to the extension of thecutting edge on a tangent of the cutting edge in particular theconnection line between the beginning and the end of the curved cuttingedge.

An alternative is a circular disc shaped or cycle shaped blade with acutting edge arranged at an outside of a circumference of the bladewherein the blade is drive able to rotate about an axis which extendsthrough the center of the blade for a circular disc shaped blade in topview.

Thus, the blade can be sized so that its cutting edge for a rotatingcycle shaped blades its throwing circuit extends in the second bladetransversal direction which is perpendicular to the first bladetransversal direction over the inner free spaces of all form tubes thatare arranged parallel to each other and thus cuts a slice of a meatstrand in each form tube during a cutting movement or an individualseparate blade can be provided per form tube.

The cutting machine includes at least one form tube that is open in thefront and in the back, and extends in the longitudinal directionwhich—in the circumferentially closed state of the form tube—is at thesame time the longitudinal compressing direction, and into whichrespectively one strand can be inserted.

What is preferably present are multiple, preferably two, form tubes thatare arranged next to each other, in particular in parallel next to eachother, and inside of which respectively one strand can be inserted andprocessed, in particular independently of each other.

Provided for each form tube is a longitudinal press plunger which can beinserted from the rear loading end of the form tube from the axialdirection, i.e. in the longitudinal compressing direction, into the formtube and closely abuts the inner circumferential walls of its inner freespace, and pushes forward the meat strand positioned therein, forexample against a stop element that is provided in the front end area,for example the intermediate plate, and thus can perform a compressionin the longitudinal direction.

The goal is to know the cross-sectional area of each slice, based on thefree inner cross section of the form tube in its compressed positionbeing known from the position of the transversal press plunger and thetransversal compression trough, so that slices cut therefrom have acalculable volume when the slice thickness is known, as thecross-sectional area of the slice=free inner cross section of the formtube is also known, because the inner space that is delimited by theinner circumferential walls of the form tube, the stop element and thelongitudinal press plunger is completely filled with the material of themeat strand as a result of the compression.

In the circumferential direction, the form tubes consist of multipleform elements that can be moved relative to each other, in particular inthe radial direction of the form tube, so that the free inner crosssection of the form tube can be varied in both transversal directions,and the form elements can even be brought completely out of mesh witheach other in the transversal direction, at least in a portion of theform tube.

Usually, the inner free space has a rhombus-shaped or rectangular crosssection, of course with rounded corners, up to the shape of an ellipse,with its edge direction respectively defining one of the transversaldirections to the longitudinal direction in which the form tube partscan be moved with respect to each other, preferably in a transversalplane that is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.

To allow for a time overlap between slicing and inserting the nextstrand, each form tube is preferably divided in its longitudinaldirection and/or across at least a portion of its circumference into thefront form tube and the rear form tube.

In addition, the rear form tube can be brought from its positionobliquely to the longitudinal compression direction in which it isaligned with the front form tube into a differing position, so that therear form tube can be loaded with a new strand in this position, whilethe cutting of the rest of an old strand is still being finished in thefront form tube.

In particular for this purpose, the so-called rear form element, thelower portion of the cross section of the rear form tube that has amostly U-shaped cross section, is configured in such a manner that iscan be lowered from the position in which it is aligned with thecorresponding circumferential area of the front form tube to facilitateinserting a new strand.

The longitudinal press plungers of the individual form tubes areadvantageously controllable independently from each other so thatcutting up the meat strands that are pushed out from the individual formtubes can be performed independently from each other by a correspondingcontrol which controls a movement of all move able components of thecutting machine relative to each other.

The form tubes extend in the circumferentially closed cutting conditionat a slant angle downward towards its forward cutting edge in particularat an acute angle of 20° to 70°, better 30° to 60°, better 40° to 50°relative to horizontal so that the slices cut off at the front end candrop without problems to a extraction conveyor arranged there undertypically a conveyor belt and can be transported away, eitherindividually or after a portion of for example fanned out slices wasproduced on the extraction conveyor.

A stop plate is advantageously used as a stop element for the forwardend of the meat strand that is pushed out from the forward cutting edgeof the form tube, wherein the stop plate is arranged before cutting offa slice in front of the cross sectional portion of the forward end ofthe inner free space of the respective form tube on the side that islocated opposite the form tube in the feed direction regarding the bladeand advantageously is configured for each form tube separately and notextending overall form tubes so that the individual form tubes can becontrolled differently for example to be able to generated slices withdifferent thicknesses.

Most often, the stop plate and the common or individual blade togetherform a cutting unit since they are move able independently from eachother at least in the axial direction but are typically firmly connectedwith each other in the transversal direction in which the blade runsthrough the meat strand for slicing.

The axial adjustment of the stop plate relative to the blade adjusts thethickness of the slices to be produced.

The stop plate however cannot only be longitudinally adjustable foradjusting and fixating a particular slice thickness but it can be alsoautomatically adjustable by the control in the longitudinal direction sothat the slice thickness can be adjusted even during cutting up a meatstrand.

The blade on the other hand side for each individual step in addition toits movement in the transversal direction also performs a movement inand against the longitudinal pressing direction of the meat strand whichwas described in a context with the procedure, while the stop plate doesnot change its position in the axial direction preferably while a strandis being cut open, that is, as long as the slice thickness is notchanged.

Advantageously there is a small gap in the longitudinal pressingdirection between the stop plate and the blade. Thus when the blade iscircular disc shaped the edge of the stop plate oriented towards theblade advantageously has a corresponding concave contour. When the bladeis configured rotating but not circular disc shaped the same applies forthe flying circle of the outer end of the blade.

The gap should be advantageously less than 20 mm, in particular lessthan 10 mm wide and should be selected in view of the consistency of thematerial to be received and/or the slice thickness, thus should alsoincrease with increasing slice thickness.

This facilitates on the one hand side a good support of the meat strandthrough the stop plate before the blade penetrates the meat strand andon the other hand side after completely cutting the meat strand thegenerated slice can pivot forward and downward without being impeded bythe stop plate, wherein the front form tube advantageously has a lengthbetween 2% and 50%, better between 5% and 30%, better between 10% and20% of an entire length of the form tube.

Between the front form tube and the rear form tube in particular for allform tubes respectively a separate intermediate plate or an intermediateplate that is continuous over all form tubes is insert able in thetransversal direction so that it completely closes a cross section ofthe inner free space of the circumferentially closed form tube that isin the slicing position in a completely inserted condition of theintermediate plate, thus the closed condition and completely releasesthe cross section of the inner free space in the open condition.

The intermediate plate is advantageously moveably arranged at the rearend of the front form tube, in particular its lower front form tube.

The front form tube and the rear form tube differ with respect to itsconfiguration.

The rear form tube is made from at least 2 rear form elements that aremoveable relative to each other in one or two transversal directions.

This simplifies a configuration of the form tubes. The inner free spaceof the form tubes is advantageously rectangular in the longitudinaldirection, thus has four walls, wherein the corners should be rounded.The edge directions of the cross sections of the inner free space definethe two transversal directions which extend in an orthogonal transversalplane to the longitudinal pressing direction and which the pressplungers are moveable.

Among the four walls of the form tube that are provided for arectangular inner free space, in particular of the rear form tube atleast one wall can be formed by a main element of a feed conveyorextending in a pass through direction of the machine, in particular eventwo walls that are arranged opposite to one another can be formed by afeed conveyor belt of this type.

The rear form tube can be configured in the circumferential direction,for example from a first elbowed rear form element which forms twoadjacent walls of the four walls and two additional rear form elementswhich respectively only form a single wall of the rectangular crosssection.

Advantageously the first rear form element with the two walls is made onthe one hand side from the recited longitudinally moveable form tubebelt forming a lower wall of the form tube cross section and one or twoside walls arranged thereon, the form tube wall which thus form twowalls of the form tube that are arranged at an angle relative to eachother wherein the walls form a simple angle element without the feedconveyor belt.

Opposite to this side wall arranged at a bottom side of the form tube atransversal pressing wall is arranged which is moveable in a firsttransversal direction, thus along the plane of the bottom side of theinner space of the form tube moveable in the transversal directiontowards the opposite side wall for a transversal compression in thisfirst transversal direction.

Thus, the transversal pressing wall moves towards a fixed end positionso that after approaching this fixed end position the distance betweenthe transversal pressing wall and the opposite side wall preciselycorresponds to the width dimension of a transversal press plunger thatis insert able from above there between in a second transversaldirection wherein the transversal press plunger forms the fourth walland facilitates the transversal compression of the meat strand in aninterior of the form tube in the second transversal direction.

The in feed conveyor can have a greater width than the distance betweenthe form tube wall and the transversal compression wall in thecompletely inserted condition and can thus also have a greater widththan the greatest diameter of a meat strand that is to be processed.

In case a bottom side and a top side of the cross section of the formtube are formed by a respective in feed conveyor at least thetransversal compression wall has an extension at the height of the formtube cross section in closed condition so that the transversalcompression wall can penetrate between the upper and the lower in feedconveyor belt.

Advantageously also the side wall which is arranged at the one form tubeband or the two form tube bands is arranged between the two in feedconveyor belts.

Typically also the rear form element is made from a lower rear formelement which is configured with a U-shaped cross section or from anangle piece or also T-piece and another side wall that is move abletransversal to the one side wall of the angle piece, the transversalside wall.

Into the upward oriented opening of this U-piece an additional rear formelement is insert able as a transversal press plunger viewed in thelongitudinal direction in the second transversal direction tightlycontacting the inner flanks of the U-component for transversalcompressing in the second transversal direction.

In order to move the inner free space of the form tube from the closedcondition transversally compressing the meat strand into a conditionwith a greater cross section for inserting the meat strand the twolateral walls and the lower wall of the form tube can be lowered, inparticular jointly thus in particular for the previously describedconfiguration of the in feed conveyor belt the form tube wall and thetransversal compression wall permanently connected there with.

The two or three form tube components of the rear form tube forming thelower U-component are lowered by a predetermined dimension,advantageously using a scissor arrangement in a parallel approximationand offset to the upper transversal press plunger or they are pivotedabout a transversal axis which extends in the first transversaldirection and which is arranged at or proximal to the front end of therear form tube.

All rear form elements like e.g. with form tube wall and the transversalpressing wall extend over an entire axial length of the rear form tubeand the transversal press plunger even advantageously extends beyond upto the front end of the form tube.

Instead of a configuration of the transversal press plunger that isprovided integral in one piece in the longitudinal direction in thefront form tube and in the rear form tube the transversal press plungercan also be configured in two separate components that are permanentlycoupled with each other in the second transversal direction.

Alternatively the transversal compression in the first transversaldirection can be performed with a separate transversal pressing tub withtwo side walls that are moveable towards each other wherein thetransversal pressing tub is arranged upstream to the rear formed elementin the pass through direction, wherein the transversal pressing tub isthen run together to a width in the first transversal direction whichcorresponds to the width of the U-component of the lower rear formelement.

From this transversal pressing tub the meat strand that is transversallycompressed in the first transversal direction can be inserted by aplunger into the rear form tube that is lowered into the loadingposition and aligned with the transversal pressing tub and the in feedconveyor.

In the front form tube advantageously the three lower walls are formedby a one piece U-shaped component which has a recess that is opentowards the lower edge wherein the transversal press plunger of thefront form tube or the transversal press plunger that is continuousthrough the front form tube and the rear form tube precisely fits intothe recess and can penetrate into the recess from above.

When arranging exacting two form tubes parallel adjacent to each other aside wall is selected as the side wall that is firmly connected with thelower form tube band or a fixed base of the lower rear form elementwherein the side wall is oriented towards the respective other form tubeso that it is a center wall which is used for both adjacent form tubeswhile the transversal pressing walls are respectively arranged on anoutside of each form tube and move able in the first transversaldirection.

In a condition that is completely closed, thus a pressing condition ofthe form tube the cross sections of the inner free space of the frontform tube and the rear form tube are equal in size and identicallyconfigured and aligned with each other since the meat strand from therear form tube through the front form tube to the blade arranged infront thereof and which shall also be compressed longitudinally thereto.

As known in the art the longitudinal and transversal compressionfacilitates that the possibly e.g. pear shaped meat strand contacts theinner contour of the form tube in the compressed condition everywhereand also contacts the front stop plate and the rear longitudinal pressplunger and thus a known cross section of the meat strand and also aknown length is provided which facilitates cutting off slices that areequally sized in the transversal direction. Only for a constant crosssectional surface the desired volume and thus weight of the slice can becontrolled for adjusting the thickness of the slice in particular forbone free material.

For material including bone the slices are advantageously weighed andadditionally a cross section is determined whereas a thickness of theslice is known due to the blade setting or measured separately again.

In order to obtain a circumferentially closed inner free space at leastin the pressing closed condition the transversal compressing wall duringapproximation to the opposite side wall contacts with its lowerlongitudinal edge as closely as possible on the upward oriented mainelement of the form tube band forming the lower wall of the form tube orthe base arm of the lower rear form element.

During transversal compression the transversal press plunger isadvantageously position controlled in particular force limited wherein asize of the cross section of the compressed meat strand is known throughthe detection of the completely forwarded end position of thetransversal plunger through a corresponding position sensor and in viewof a distance of the transversal compression wall from the opposite sidewall and the known position of the form tube or the form tube band inthe closed condition of the form tube and the control can compute thenecessary thickness of the slices therefrom so that the slices have thepredetermined nominal weight.

Directly downstream of the form tube there is a scale which weighs thecut off slices falling onto the scale or the portions building from theslices. In order to be able to weigh as precisely as possible the scaleis advantageously now connected with the cutting machine but placed as aseparate component into the ground without a connection to the cuttingmachine in order to prevent a transfer of vibrations to the scale.

Since an inner cross section of the inner form tube that is desirable inthe compressed condition can be different as a function of the meatstrand to be compressed in that the forwarded end position of thetransversal pressing wall is defined differently and correspondinganother upper transversal press plunger with different width is beingused also the longitudinal press plunger has to have the correspondingcross section of the closed form tube that is in the compressingcondition and thus has to be arranged easily replaceable at the frontend of the piston rod moving the form tube.

The rounded corners of the cross section of the inner free space of theform tube facilitate completely filling the inner free space with themeat strand during compressing.

In order to achieve the rounded corners the transversal compressing walland also the side wall that is firmly connected with the lower walladvantageously the form tube band, has a protrusion at its lowerlongitudinal edges that are oriented towards the inner free space andalso the transversal press plunger has a protrusion at both its lowerlongitudinal edges wherein the protrusion is bar shaped and extends overan entire length of this component and wherein the protrusion forms aright angle triangle in cross section wherein the hypotenuse of theright angle triangle is cambered concave and configured e.g. as aquarter circle. These protrusions are arranged so that a rectangularcross section with rounded corners is provided through the cooperationof the form tube elements.

One of the rear form elements, advantageously the rear transversal pressplunger can include scanning fingers in particular also in an axialportion of the form tube wherein the scanning fingers protrude from acontact surface wherein the scanning fingers can be moved backwardthrough a pressure on a contact surface against a force of a spring andwherein a feeding of the scanning fingers is detected in order to scanthe contour of a non-elastic portion of the meat strand, e.g. the bonefor a pork chop strand so that a determination of a cross section andthus also of an un homogenous meat strand is facilitated.

c) Embodiments

DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments according to the invention are subsequently described withreference to drawing figures, wherein:

FIG. 1A illustrates a first embodiment of the cutting machine in aloading position in different view;

FIG. 1B illustrates the embodiment of the cutting machine of FIG. 1A indifferent view;

FIG. 1C illustrates the embodiment of the cutting machine of FIG. 1A indifferent view;

FIG. 1D illustrates the embodiment of the cutting machine of FIG. 1A indifferent view;

FIG. 1E illustrates the embodiment of the cutting machine of FIG. 1A indifferent view;

FIG. 2A illustrates the first embodiment of the cutting machine in theslicing position in different views;

FIG. 2B illustrates the first embodiment of the cutting machine of FIG.1A in the slicing position in a different view;

FIG. 2C illustrates the first embodiment of the cutting machine of FIG.1A in the slicing position in a different view;

FIG. 2D illustrates the first embodiment of the cutting machine of FIG.1A in the slicing position in a different view;

FIG. 3A illustrates a sectional view in the transversal directionthrough the rear form element during lifting from the loading positionaccording to FIG. 1C;

FIG. 3B illustrates a sectional view in the transversal directionthrough the rear form element during lifting from the loading positionaccording to FIG. 1C;

FIG. 3C illustrates a sectional view in a transversal direction throughthe front form element according to FIG. 2D;

FIG. 4A illustrates an illustration in principle of a first cutting unitin different functional positions;

FIG. 4B illustrates an illustration in principle of a first cutting unitin different functional positions;

FIG. 4C illustrates an illustration in principle of a first cutting unitin different functional positions;

FIG. 5A illustrates different operating condition of the firstembodiment respectively in a slightly perspective view;

FIG. 5B illustrates different operating condition of the firstembodiment respectively in a slightly perspective view;

FIG. 5C illustrates different operating condition of the firstembodiment respectively in a slightly perspective view;

FIG. 5D illustrates different operating condition of the firstembodiment respectively in a slightly perspective view;

FIG. 5E illustrates different operating condition of the firstembodiment respectively in a slightly perspective view;

FIG. 5F illustrates different operating condition of the firstembodiment respectively in a slightly perspective view;

FIG. 5G illustrates different operating condition of the firstembodiment respectively in a slightly perspective view;

FIG. 5H illustrates different operating condition of the firstembodiment respectively in a slightly perspective view;

FIG. 5I illustrates different operating condition of the firstembodiment respectively in a slightly perspective view;

FIG. 5J illustrates different operating condition of the firstembodiment respectively in a slightly perspective view;

FIG. 5K illustrates different operating condition of the firstembodiment respectively in a slightly perspective view;

FIG. 5L illustrates different operating condition of the firstembodiment respectively in a slightly perspective view;

FIG. 5M illustrates different operating condition of the firstembodiment respectively in a slightly perspective view;

FIG. 5N illustrates different operating condition of the firstembodiment respectively in a slightly perspective view;

FIG. 6A illustrates a second embodiment of the cutting machine in theloading and slicing position;

FIG. 6B illustrates a second embodiment of the cutting machine in theloading and slicing position;

FIG. 7A illustrates a perspective view of a second cutting unit;

FIG. 7B1 illustrates a front view of a feed device in differentfunctional positions of the cutting unit according to FIG. 7A;

FIG. 7B2 illustrates a front view of a feed device in differentfunctional positions of the cutting unit according to FIG. 7A;

FIG. 7C1 illustrates the functional positions of the cutting unitaccording to FIG. 7A in a side view;

FIG. 7C2 illustrates the functional positions of the cutting unitaccording to FIG. 7A in a side view;

FIG. 7D1 illustrates a perspective view of the a third cutting unitoriented away from the second cutting unit according to FIG. 7A;

FIG. 7D2 illustrates a perspective view of the a third cutting unitoriented away from the second cutting unit according to FIG. 7A;

FIG. 8A illustrates a view in principle of the second cutting unit indifferent functional positions; and

FIG. 8B illustrates a view in principle of the second cutting unit indifferent functional positions.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The basic principle of the cutting machine according to the invention isdescribed best with FIGS. 1A-1E, 2A and 2B.

A respective meat strand 100 is processed thus compressed onto tracksarranged adjacent and parallel to each other in a first transversaldirection 11. 1 essentially synchronously and then sliced into slices101.

For this purpose the cutting machine 1 delivers meat strands to besliced in a longitudinal direction 10 b, the pass through direction on arespective feeder 14 a, b of two parallel feeders that are adjacent toeach other and separately drive able as evident from FIG. 2C. Thus thefeeders 14 a, b include side walls to prevent a lateral drop off of theelongated meat strands 100 extending on the feeder in the longitudinaldirection 10 b. instead of the separate feeders 14 a, b that arearranged adjacent to each other also a single feeder can be used that iscontinuous in a first transversal direction 11.1, in particular dividedby a center wall in two halves, however the two meat strands 100 canthen not be fed on the two tracks of the single feeder 14 aindependently from each other. By removing a center wall an entire widthof the feeder 14 h can be used for very large meat strands 100.

The two meat strands 100 are then inserted in alignment in thelongitudinal direction 10 b into a rear U-element 2.2 b as illustratedin FIGS. 1A, 1B and 1C that is pivotably arranged in front of a frontend of the respective feeder 14 a, b wherein a U-formed cross sectionthat extends in this pivot position, the loading position in thelongitudinal direction 10 b is open in an upward direction.

Since this insertion is not only possible by itself using the feeder 14this is performed with support by an insertion device 21 which ismoveable in the longitudinal direction 10 b and reaches downward witheach of its 2 downward oriented prongs respectively slightly above a topside of one of the two feeders 14 a, b and presses against a rear end ofa meat strand 100 arranged on the feeder and is configured to move themeat strand forward into a respective U-shaped component 2.2 b either toa remove able stop provided at this location or better up to apredetermined position of the in feed device.

The respective U-shaped component 2.2 b extending in the longitudinaldirection 10 as a function of the operating position the compressiondirection 10 a or the pass through direction 10 b through the machine ora direction arranged there between forms part of one of two form tubes 2arranged adjacent to each other which are made from plural form elementsthat are moveable relative to each other in at least one of thetransversal directions 11. 1 and 11.2.

In the longitudinal pressing direction 10 a of a meat strand through aform tube 2 the form tube 2 is made from a front form tube 2.1 that isin the front feed direction 10 a and a rear form tube 2.2 (FIG. 2B)arranged there on in a rear in the feed direction.

The rear form tube 2.2 can even be changed by moving at least one of theform elements back and forth between a circumferentially closedcondition and a circumferentially open condition.

As illustrated in the cross sectional representations of FIGS. 3A and 3Bwhich are described in more detail infra for the rear form tubes 2.2 inopen condition and in circumferentially closed condition each rear formtube 2.2 in the closed condition according to FIG. 3B right isessentially made from one of two adjacent upward open U-components 2.2 bwhich have a common center wall and two transversal press plungers 2.2 aprecisely fitting into the width of the transversal openings accordingFIG. 3B right and insert able from above.

This circumferentially closed condition wherein the transversal pressplungers do not only contact the meat strand 100 but also in partpressure thereupon, the so called second transversal compression whichis performed in the second transversal direction 1.2 is achieved for therear form tubes 2.2 in that the two rear U-shaped components 2.2 b arejointed pivoted upward from the loading position in FIGS. 1A, 1B and 1C,FIG. 1C illustrates this in a longitudinal sectional view into theslicing position according to FIGS. 2A and 2B and thus the transversalpressing plungers 2.2 a penetrate the respective rear U-component 2.2 b.

As illustrated best in the side view of FIG. 2B. The 2 form tubes 2extending in the view direction of FIG. 2B are arranged in parallel witheach other in their circumferential closed condition, the slicingposition, in a longitudinal pressing direction 10 a arranged in avertical longitudinal plane 10′ but sloped from behind forward downwardat a slant angle relative to the typically horizontal pass throughdirection 10 b, the longitudinal direction of the cutting machine 1.

In this circumferentially closed slicing configuration of the form tube2 according to FIGS. 2A and 2B the meat strand 100 resting in therespective form tube can be moved forward downward in the longitudinalpressing position 10 a, using a respective longitudinal pressing plungerfor inserted into the inner cross section 7′ of the respectivecircumferentially closed form tube 2 precisely fitting and penetratingillustrated in FIG. 1C which is attached at a front end of the one oftwo parallel piston rods 12 which can be driven in a controlled mannerin the longitudinal pressing direction 10 a advantageously independentlyfrom each other.

Each meat strand 100 is respectively pushed beyond a forward lower endof its form tube 2 for slicing into slices 101 until the meat strandcontacts with its front face end at a stop plate 13 (FIG. 2D, FIGS. 4Aand 4B). Then a blade 3 (FIGS. 4C, 7A, 7C1, 8A and 8B) which is widerthan the two form tubes 2 that are arranged adjacent to each other canbe used for respectively cutting off a slice 101, 102 from each of thetwo meat strands 100 in the two form tubes 2 by moving the rotatingblade downward in the second transversal direction 1.2 directly beforethe front end of the two form tubes 2.

Thus, the adjusted distance in the longitudinal pressing direction 10 abetween the stop plate 13 and the blade 3 determines the thickness ofthe slice 101, 102.

The cut off slices 101, 102 respectively fall onto one of two weighingstations 18 arranged adjacent to the each other and are weighed at thislocation either individually or when the slices 101, 102 are to becombined into portions, the weight obtained after each new slice of thebuilding portion 110 that remains on the weighing station 18 is weighed.

Subsequently the slice or the generated portion is transferred from theweighing station 18 whose top side is configured as a feedertransporting in the pass through direction 10 b to an extractionconveyor arranged adjacent thereto in the downstream direction andextracted wherein these components are also advantageously providedseparately for each track of the cutting machine adjacent to the cuttingmachine.

In order to reduce an idle time between slicing a first meat strand 100and a second meat strand 100 that is to be cut up subsequently theretoeach form tube 2 as recited supra is divided in the longitudinalpressing direction 10 a into a front form tube 2.a and a rear form tube2.2.

Both (FIGS. 3A-3C) viewed in the longitudinal pressing direction 10 ainclude the recited upward open forward or rear U-component 2.1 b or 2.2b and the forward or rear press plunger 2.1 a or 2.2 a penetrating therein and compressing in the second transversal direction 11. 2.

In the front form tube 2.1 (FIG. 3C) the forward U-element 2.1 b alwaysremains in position unchanged as one of the forward form elements 2.1 a,b whereas the forward press plunger 2.1 a also forming one of the formelements can move relative thereto in the second transversal direction11.2.

The latter also applies for the rear form tube 2.2. but hereadditionally as illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B the rear U-element 2.2 bas one of the rear form elements 2.2 a, 2.2 b is additionally removeable downward from the rear transversal press plunger 2.2 a far enoughso that the 2 components are completely disengaged in the secondtransversal direction 11.2 which is typically not possible for the frontform tube 2.1.

For the first configuration according to FIGS. 1A-1E, 2A-2D, 3A-3C,4A-4D and 5A-5I and 5K-5N for this purpose the rear U-component 2.2 b ispivoted downward about a rear pivot axis 5 extending in the firsttransversal direction 11.1 so that the rear form tubes 2.2 are now inthe circumferentially open loading position as described supra.

Between the rear form tube 2.2 and the front form tube 2.1 anintermediate plate is arranged that is move able into an orthogonalplane to the longitudinal pressing direction 10 a, which is best visiblein FIG. 2D and which is advantageously arranged at the rear end of theforward U-components 2.1.

As soon as the meat strands 100 arranged in the closed form tubes 2 inthe slicing position are mostly sliced up and remaining rear ends of themeat strand 100 are only arranged in the longitudinal portion of thefront form tube 2.1 and are moved further forward therein by thelongitudinal press plunger 4 and sliced up the rear U-components 2.2 bof the rear form tubes 2.2 typically connected with each other by acenter wall can be increased in width and pivoted down into the loadingposition. From the feeders 14 a, b the next two meat strands 100 to besliced can be moved by the insertion device 21 into the rear elements2.2 b pivoted downward into an aligned position relative to the feeders14 a, b in order to reduce a loading time when switching to the nextmeat strands 100 during slicing.

The goal to cut off slices 101, 102 with a pre-determined target weightfrom a meat strand 100 with uneven cross section can only be achievedwhen a volume of the meat slice is controllable.

For this purpose on the one hand side a slice thickness d is adjusted ina defined manner by adjusting a distance 9 of the stop plate 13 relativeto the blade 3 during cutting a slice 101.

The side view of FIGS. 4A-4C of a first embodiment of a cutting unitshows, in particular FIG. 4A that the stop plate 13 is adjustable forthis purpose in the axial direction 10 a and/or in the first transversaldirection relative to the blade 3 and the blade plane 3′ which isdefined by a contact surface of the blade 3 that is oriented towards thecutting material wherein a cutting edge 3 a of the blade 3 is in theblade plane 3′ when the blade 3 is only ground at a side that isoriented away from the contact surface.

When the blade 3 is moved for cutting off a slice 101 from its startingposition according to FIG. 4A in the first blade transversal direction31.1, herein the second transversal direction 11.2 of the machine in acutting movement 28 a in a downward slanted direction over the freeinner cross section 7′ of the two form tubes 2. The stop plate 13 whichis combined with the blade 3 in a cutting unit 27 moves together withthe blade 3 in the first blade transversal direction 31.1, here in thesecond transversal direction 11.2 so that the increasingly cut off slice101 can exit through the gap there between according to FIG. 4B anddrops after complete cut off onto the weighing station 18 or aextraction conveyor 22 arranged instead at this location.

In order to further reduce charging time the blade 3 additionally aftercutting off a respective slice 101 thus running over the innercorresponding section 7′ of the at least one form tube 2 lifts off inthe feed direction 10 a in a lift off movement 28 b from the forwardface of the front form tube 2.1 where it has moved along for cutting offthe slices 101 in a contacting manner or with a very small distance andsubsequently or simultaneously with this lift off movement 28 bcommences a return movement 28 c whose end is illustrated in FIG. 4C inthe second transversal direction 11.2 against the cutting movement 28 a.

Subsequently the blade 3 returns by a reset movement 28 d against thefeed direction 10 a to the starting position of the cut off process asclearly evident from FIGS. 4A-4C based on an orientation pointdesignated at the blade axis 3′.

Viewed in the first transversal direction 11.1 thus the blade 3 causedby an indicated lift off device 28 performs an orbit able movement in arectangular or lenticular shape.

The stop plate 13 however neither performs the axial lift off movement28 b or the reset movement 28 d of the blade 3 but only performs itscutting movement 28 a and the return movement 28 c thus always remainsin the same axial position in the cut off process of a slice. Onlybetween the cut off processes the axial position of the cutting plate 13will be changed now and then in order to vary the thickness of theslices 101 to be produced.

The cutting unit 27 is prevented so that during the first cuttingprocess the stop plate 13 is only firmly coupled with the blade 3 in thesecond transversal direction 11.2.

The contact in this second transversal direction 11. 2 between the bladeaxis 3′ and the stop plate 13 is also adjustable since the gap viewed inthe feed direction 10 a between the flying circle 3* and the analogouslyconcave forward edge of the contact plate 13 oriented towards the blade3 as illustrated in FIG. 4D shall be advantageously additionallyadjustable at the cutting unit 27 as a function of a thickness of theslices 101 to be produced.

Through this lift off movement 28 b directly after cutting off a sliceor a pair of slices moving the meat strands 100 forward can alreadybegin even when viewed in the feed direction 10 a in the secondtransversal direction 11.2 the blade 3 has not yet completely left thefree inner cross section 7 of the form tubes 2.

In addition to the slice thickness in order to obtain a predeterminednominal weight and thus a nominal volume of the slices 101 also theirsurface area, thus transversal to the thickness must be known andcontrollable. For this purpose compressing the elastic meat strand 100is used in a form tube 2 before slicing the meat strand, wherein thecompressing forms a defined cross section.

When the form tube 2 which is defined circumferentially by the form tubecomponents and also in the longitudinal pressing direction 10 a byintermediate plate 8 on the one hand side and also by the longitudinalpress plunger 4 on the other hand side includes a defined inner freespace 7 and the inner free space is completely filled by the meat strand100 the cross section of the meat strand 100 is identical to an innerfree cross section 7′ of the form tube 2 and thus the surface of theslice 101, 102 to be cut off as well as the volume and thus also theweight of the cut off slice as long as the thickness is known or can becontrolled even when the slice contour moves back after the cut off.

In order for a provided inner defined free space to be filled completelyin the form tube 2 by the elastic meat strand 100 that is unevenlyshaped in the non-compressed condition the meat strand 100 has to becompressed in the form tube 2 so that no unfilled cavities remain in theform tube 2.

For this purpose the instant meat strand 100 is compressed in bothtransversal directions 11. 1 and 11.2 as well as in the longitudinalpressing direction 10 a.

According to FIGS. 3A and 3B the meat strand 100 is initially insertedaccording to FIGS. 1A-1C in the rear U-component 2.2 b of the rear formelement 2.2 that is pivoted down into the loading position as describedsupra using the insertion device 21 in the pass through direction 10 b.For this purpose the inner space of the rear U-shaped component 2.2 bhas to have a greater width than the greatest occurring width of a stillnon deformed meat strand 100.

The two rear elements 2.2 b have a common center wall which is used as afixed side wall that is oriented towards the other rear form tube 2.2wherein the fixed side wall is integrally configured together with arespective base of the rear form element 2.2 b as an angle element 2.2 b1. Thus the two angle element 2.2 b 1 through the one piececonfiguration for both rear form tubes 2.2 jointly form an invertedT-shape component in cross section.

The respectively remaining inner free cross section 7′ is approximatelyrectangular with rounded corners so that the elastic meat strand 100 canalso easily apply to the corners which is the easier the more roundedthe corners are.

For this purpose inner corners of the cross section of the U-shapedcomponents 2.2 b are rounded and the transversal press plungers 2.2 ahave an approximately triangular protrusion at their longitudinal edgesof the free face wherein the protrusion protrudes forward and has ahypotenuse that is circular arc shaped concave and oriented towards theinner free cross section 7′.

The outer side wall for each form tube 2 is configured in the firsttransversal direction 11.1 move able relative to the angular element orT-element 2.2 b 1 as a transversal pressing wall 2.2 b 2 and moveablewith its lower narrow side closely along the top side of the horizontalarm of the respective angular element 2.2 b 1 towards the center wall oraway from the center wall.

For inserting a new meat strand 100 the transversal pressing wall 2.2 b2 is moved to a maximum distance from the center wall in outwarddirection wherein the transversal pressing wall still rests on a topside of the angle element 2.2 b 1 (FIG. 3A).

Thereafter the transversal pressing wall 2.2 b 2 is moved in a directiontowards the center wall (FIG. 3b left) up to a defined end width of theinner space of the U-component 2.2 b(FIG. 3B right). Thus the meatstrand 100 inserted there in possibly goes through a first transversalcompression to a defined width in the first transversal direction 11.1.

The inward movement of the transversal pressing walls 2.2 b 2 to adefined end width of the U-element 2.2 b is necessary since duringsubsequent upward pivoting the rear U-elements 2.2 b, the reartransversal press plungers 2.2 a always remaining in the slantedposition relative to the pass through direction 10 b have a definedwidth and thus during penetrating into the U-components 2.2 b whichrepresents the second transversal compressing in particular when the atleast one transversal press plunger 2.2 after penetrating areadditionally moved forward against the components 2.2 b duringpenetrating shall close their top side.

After pivoting up the rear components 2.2 b which is possible in thiscase due to the one piece T-element only for both form tubes 2 togetherwith the rear U-components 2.2 b that are separately configured for eachform tube 2 and angle elements 2.2 b 1 would also be possible separatelyand independently from each other with the new meat strand 100respectively inserted therein is certainly only possible after thepreviously sliced meat strand 100 is sliced completely and thelongitudinal press plunger 4 is pulled back against the longitudinalpressing direction 10 a far enough so that it is arranged behind a rearend of the meat strand 100 when the meat strand 100 arranged in therespective U-element 2.2 during upward pivoting.

Advantageously the position of the rear end is determined in that theend position of the insert slide 21 which then has to be respectivelyprovided and actuated separately for the two tracks, is determinedrelative to the respective U-component 2.2 b at an end of the insertionprocess of the new meat strand 100 so that the longitudinal pressplunger 4 only has to be pulled back slightly behind this position inorder to further reduce idle times.

By inserting the rear transversal press plunger 2.2 a into the rearU-component 2.2 b to a fixated pre-determined end position so that thefree cross section corresponds to the surface of the insertedlongitudinal press plunger 4 it is known together with the nominalwidth, the surface of the free inner cross section 7′ of the respectiveform tube 2 is known and thus the cross section of the meat strand 100in compressed condition so that slices 101, 102 of a defined andcontrolled volume can be cut off.

The longitudinal press plunger 4 can thus be replaced for this purposeas a function of a thickness of the meat strands 100 to be processedwith another press plunger 4 with another cross section wherein thereplacement is performed at the piston rod 12.

In order to facilitate complete filling of the inner free space 7 ofeach form tube 2 during compressing with the material of the meat strand100 the free inner cross section 7′ in spite of the rectangular shape ortrapezoid shape with two opposite parallel extending inner surfaces hasrather strongly rounded inner corners.

At the one piece angle element 2.2 b 1 this rounded shape can already beprovided during production, the other rounded shape is provided at thefree lower downward oriented longitudinal edge of the transversalpressing wall 2.2 b 2 from which a protrusion 17 protrudes in ward froman inward oriented side surface wherein the protrusion is shaped as anadvantageously right angle triangle with an hypotenuse that isconfigured concave as a quarter circle.

The same protrusions 17 are provided at the lower longitudinal edges ofthe transversal press plunger 2.2 a.

The described first transversal compression of the meat strand 100 inthe first transversal pressing direction 11.1 can also be performed in atransversal pressing tub that is arranged immediately in front of therear form tube 2.2 in a loading position of the rear form tube 2.2instead of being directly provided in the rear U-component 2.2 b of therear form tube 2.2.

The transversal pressing tub can either be configured as illustrated inFIGS. 3A and 3B or the base of the U-shaped components 2.2 b can beformed by the in feed 14 so that only a fixed stable center wall and twotransversal pressing walls can be provided on both sides of the centerwall so that they are moveable towards the center wall or away from thecenter wall in the first transversal direction 11.1, wherein thetransversal compressing walls compress the meat strand 100 in the firsttransversal pressing direction.

Then subsequently supported by the insertion slide 21 the meat strand100 compressed in the first transversal pressing direction 11.1 isinserted into the U-component 2.2 b of the rear form tube 2.2, whosecross sectional width of the u-shaped component then already correspondsto the nominal width. Thus the U-shaped component 2.2 b of the rear formtube 2.2 can also be integrally configured in one piece.

In FIG. 1C the transversal supports 23 are visible under the base of theU-shaped component 2.2 b along which the transversal pressing walls 2.2b 2 are moved in the first transversal pressing direction 11.1.

Advantageously an intermediate plate 8 is arranged at the front end ofthe longitudinal pressing direction 10 a of the rear U-shaped component2.2 b wherein the intermediate plate is moveable in the secondtransversal direction 11.2 relative to the form tube 2, eitherseparately for each form tube 2 or continuous over the two form tubes 2in the first transversal direction 11.1 wherein the intermediate plateafter folding up the rear U-component 2.2 b is then arranged in thelongitudinal pressing direction 10 a between the front form tube 2.1 andthe rear form tube 2.2.

This intermediate plate 8 can be moved back and forth between a closingposition closing the inner cross section 7′ of the form tube 2 and anopen position releasing the inner cross section 7′.

After pivoting the rear U-shaped component 2.2 b into the slicingposition by a scissor arrangement 19 the intermediate plate 8 isinitially still in the closed position thus until the meat strand 100resting in the rear form tube 2.2. and transversally compressed in thetransversal direction 11.1 and 11.2 is then subsequently compressed bythe longitudinal press plunger 4 also in the longitudinal pressingdirection 10 a wherein the intermediate plate 8 is used as a stop in thelongitudinal pressing direction 10 a. Since the intermediate plate issupported downstream by the front form tube 2.1 it can be configuredvery thin.

The longitudinal compressing thus forward movement of the longitudinalpress plunger 4 by the driven piston rod 12 is performed until a definedpressing force is reached so that determining the end position of thelongitudinal press plunger 4 by a non-illustrated position sensordetermines a distance of the longitudinal press plunger 4 from theintermediate plate 8 and thus the entire volume of the meat strand 100so that it can be calculated in advance how many slices of a definedvolume thus with a defined thickness can be sliced there from. For, ifthe actual end position of the longitudinal press plunger does notcoincide with a previously expected target position, at least thedeviation from the same is known in the form of the reached endposition, and it can be taken into account in the calculation. Namelywithin particular limits also the longitudinal press plunger which canbe configured in two pieces in the extension in the longitudinaltransversal direction can be configured variable.

Since the two parallel inserted meat strands 100 are never identicalwith respect to its volume and shape the lengths of the completelycompressed meat strands 100 and thus also the number of identical slices(101, 102) that are obtainable there form are different for the two meatstrands 100 and for example one of the two meat strands 100 will exitthe longitudinal portion of its rear form tube 2.2 earlier duringslicing.

When the U-shaped components 2.2 b for the two form tubes 2 areconfigured separately the U-component 2.2 b can be pivoted downward bythe scissor arrangement 19 earlier. By the same token the longitudinalpress plunger of the meat strand 100 out of the two meat strands that issliced up completely earlier can be moved back in to its pulled backcondition earlier.

Though the stop plates 13 maybe configured separate and independentlyfrom each other and their distance also from a common blade 3 thus withrespect to the sliced thickness to be obtained are adjustableindependently from each other slices 101, 102 with different thicknesscan be produced on both tracks of the cutting machine 1 thus from thetwo form tubes 2.

After the longitudinal compression has been performed thus therespective longitudinal press plunger 4 has reached its nominal pressingforce the intermediate plate 8 is moved in the transversal directionfrom the closed position into the open position by an intermediate platedrive.

Depending on the thickness of the intermediate plate 8 thus a gapcreated in the feed direction 10 a between the front form tube 2.1 andthe rear form tube 2.2 can be closed by inserting a fill plate 8′according to FIGS. 4A-4C which fill plate has the same axial thicknessas the intermediate plate 8 but a pass through opening that is largeenough and continuous in the axial direction so that in a completelyinserted condition of the fill plate 8′ an inner circumferential contourof the fill plate 8′ is aligned with the inner circumferential contourof the form tube 2.

The longitudinal press plunger 4 is moved further forward into the rearform tube 2.2 and thus the front end of the meat strand 100 receivedthere in is moved forward into the front form tube 2.1 and through thefront form tube until the meat strand 100 contacts the stop plate 13.

In a completely compressed configuration of the meat strand, thecompression position of the form tube 2 the front form tube 2.1 has thesame free inner cross section 7′ as the rear form tube 2.2.

As illustrated in FIG. 3C the first U-component 2.1 b from the beginningand without change has a defined width in the transversal direction 11.1corresponding to the rear U-component 2.2 b in the already narrow,possibly compressed condition. Therefore no transversal compression wallis provided for the front form tube 2.1 but

either a one piece U-shaped component in cross section 2.1 b per frontform tube 2.1 and for the two adjacent front form tubes 2.1 and for thetwo adjacent front form tubes 2.1 for a common center wall a W-shapedcomponent as illustrated in the right portion of FIG. 3C,

or an annular closed O-shaped component 2.1 b for each form tube inwhich a front transversal press plunger is move ably supported asillustrated in the left portion of FIG. 3C.

Thus, the forward transversal press plunger 2.1 a penetrates by the sameamount into its forward U-shaped component like the rear press plunger2.2 a into its rear U-shaped component 2.2 b. Therefore the forward andthe rear transversal press plunger 2.1 a and 2.2 a can be integrallyconfigured also for each form tube 2 in one piece and also movedtogether thus even over both form tubes 2 as a common press plunger unitas long as the same longitudinal press plunger 4 is used at both pistonrods 12, thus with the same extension at least in the second transversaldirection 11.2, advantageously with identical front surface area.

In the same view of FIG. 1D a sectional line along the line D-D of FIG.1B the slanted circular disc shaped blade 3 is visible with its supportplate 24 having a smaller diameter by comparison as well as the twoindividual weighing stations 18 arranged adjacent to each other.

FIG. 1B illustrates a vertical sectional view along the line B-B of FIG.1D in the longitudinal direction 10 b.

FIG. 1E illustrates in the feed direction 10 a a cross section along theline E-E of FIG. 1B thus the cutting blade 3 is visible that is circularin this viewing direction and the front form tube 2.1 looking along itsextension, thus the longitudinal pressing direction 10 a and inparticular the forward transversal press plunger 2.1 a which iscontinuous in this case and which extends over the entire length of theform tube 2 and thus simultaneously also the rear transversal pressplunger 2.2 a. visible are furthermore the piston rod 12′ which drivethe two adjacent press plungers 2.1 a and 2.2 a respectively in thesecond transversal pressing direction 11.2 and the front ends of the twofeed conveyors 14.a and 14.b.

The longitudinal sectional views of FIGS. 1C, 2B and 2D illustrate inparticular in the enlarged view of FIG. 2D on the one hand side thecutting unit 27 with the blade 3 which moves directly along the forwardface of the front form tube 2.1 in the second transversal direction 11.2and which covers in the illustrated position the inner free crosssection 7′ and which is supported on a side oriented away from the formtube 2 by the cone shaped support plate 24 and which driven by a motor25 to rotate.

The stop plate 13 is adjustable in the longitudinal pressing direction10 a with its axial distance to the blade 3, wherein it is visible thatthe stop plate 13 and the blade 3 advantageously do not overlap in thelongitudinal pressing direction 10 a.

Between the front form tube 2.1 and the rear form tube 2.2 in turn theintermediate plate is visible which is in this case attached at a rearface of the front form tube 2.1 including the drive of the intermediateplate 8.

In this embodiment an additional stop element is advantageously providedat the front end of the rear form tube wherein the additional stopelement is not illustrated and closes an inner free cross section of therear U-component 2.2 b and is also move able in the transversaldirection, for example provided as an end plate and a stop wheninserting the meat strand 100 in the loading position.

After folding up the rear U-shaped portion 2.2 b and before longitudinalcompression the intermediate plate 8 is moved into a closing positionclosing the inner free cross section 7′ and thus moves the end platethat is move able in the same plane and direction and advantageouslyequally thick out of the free inner cross section 7′.

FIG. 2D furthermore illustrates the adjustment device 26 for adjustingthe distance 9 of the stop plate 13 to the blade 3 in the longitudinalpressing direction 10 a.

The cutting unit 27 which carries the motor 25 and the support plate 24with the blade 3 also includes a receiver 26 a for the stop plate 13which is configured along guides 26 b which are configured at thereceiver 26 a to be adjusted in the longitudinal pressing direction 10 awithin the cutting unit 27 as described based on FIGS. 4A and 4B so thatat least the blade 3, in particular the entire cutting unit 27 canperform an orbit able movement during each step in a side view inparticular a rectangular movement.

FIGS. 5A-5I and 5K-5N illustrate different operating conditions of thecutting machine in a slightly perspective view with a verticallongitudinal cut along the line B-B of FIG. 1D. The cut is arranged inthe viewing direction of FIG. 1B in the forward processing track, forexample the feed device 14 a but proximal to its rear end in thisviewing direction.

FIG. 5A shows with respect to the form tube 2 the axial portion of thefront form tube 2.1 and the rear form tube 2.2, wherein the transversalpress plunger 2.1+2.a is continuous over an entire length of the frontform tube and the rear form tube and which is loaded by plural pistonrods 12.1′, 12.2′ in the second transversal direction 11.2. Out of theseone piston rod 12.1′ is in the portion of the front form tube 2.1.

The slices cut off from the blade 3 at the forward end of the form tube2 drop onto a weighing station 18 which transfers the slices or also theportions after weighing onto a first extraction conveyor 22. Accordingto FIG. 1B the weighing station 18 is not connected with the frame ofthe remaining cutting machine but sits on the ground in order tominimize a transmission of vibrations from the cutting machine into theweighing station 18.

FIG. 5A illustrates together with the detail enlargement in FIG. 5B forexample a beginning of a cutting process (subsequently only illustratedfor the form tube 2 illustrated in the sectional view and thecorresponding processing track, parallel thereto the same process canrun on the processing track arranged there behind wherein the blade 3always cuts off a slice simultaneously for both form tubes wherein themeat strand 100 is pressed forward by the longitudinal press plunger 4over the front end of the from tube 2 until it contacts the stop plate13.

The blade 3 is still arranged completely above the form tube 2 or thetwo adjacent form tubes 2.

FIG. 5B illustrates the distance 9 between the forward of the form tube2 and the stop plate 13 which covers the free inner cross section of theform tubes and which simultaneously represents the distance 9 betweenthe cutting edge of the blade 3 and the cutting plate 13 in turn in theaxial direction.

After lowering the blade 3 the blade covers the free inner cross sectionof the two form tubes 2 and the cut off slices wherein FIG. 5C onlyillustrates the slice 101 that is cut off on the rear processing track,the cut off slices drop onto the first extraction conveyor 2 and can betransported and processed further as illustrated in FIG. 5C in acondition a few slices later. Thereafter the longitudinal press plunger4 moves the meat strand 100 further forward with the stop plate 13 forcutting off the next slice.

FIG. 5D illustrates the condition where the meat strand 100 is cut upfar enough so that it is only in the axial portion of the front formtube 2.1 and also the longitudinal press plunger 4 is already in theform tube 2.1.

As soon as this is the case the rear U-shaped component 2.2 b of therear form tube pivots using the scissor arrangement 19 about a pivotaxis 5 that is better visible in FIG. 1C with its rear end downwardwhile a rest of the meat strand 100 arranged in the front form tube 2.1is cut up further until according to FIG. 5E that rear U-shaped portion2.2 b is aligned with respect to the bottom side of its inner space withthe top side of the in feed conveyor 14 a, b.

The transversal pressing walls 2.2 b 2 are thus run outward by maximumamount relative to the center wall of the angle element 2.2 b 1 c.f.FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 3C so that also the meat strands 100 moved up by thein feed conveyors 14 a, b in FIG. 5F can be moved up in the pass throughdirection 10 b directly in front of the rear end of the rear U-shapedelement 2.2 b and can be inserted in this direction by the insertionslide 21 with its two prongs engaging the rear ends of the meat strands100, wherein the insertion is performed into the rear U-shapedcomponents of the two form tubes 2 as illustrated in FIG. 5G.

In this condition a last left over of the meat strand 100 can be movedforward in the front form tube 2.1 by the longitudinal press plunger 4and can be cut up further.

As soon as the insertion slide 21 have moved out of the rear U-shapedcomponents 2.2 b against the feed direction 10 b again according to FIG.5H and in the front form tube 2.1 a lasts left over of the meat strand100 is used up by slicing according to FIG. 5I, the following can beperformed simultaneously:

on the one hand side according to FIGS. 5K, 5I the rear U-shapedcomponents 2.2 b can already be pivoted up again after or while thelongitudinal press plunger 4 pulls back by the piston rod 12 against thelongitudinal pressing direction 10 a.

In order to prevent collisions between the new meat strand 100 and thelongitudinal press plunger 4 the longitudinal press plunger 4 has to bebehind the rear ends of the meat strands 100 disposed in the rearU-shaped elements 2.2 b after reaching the completely raised position asillustrated in FIG. 5M.

On the other hand side according to FIG. 5M also the rear transversalpress plunger 2.2.a can be lifted from its pressing position in order toprovide enough space and height, so that no transversal compression isperformed in the second transversal direction 11.2 by pivoting the rearU-shaped components 2.2 b upward.

This is performed after the rear U-shaped components 2.2 b have reachedtheir completely upward folded position according to FIG. 5N by movingthe rear transversal press plunger 2.2 a downward against the new meatstrands 100.

After the new meat strands 100 are transversally compressed in the rearform tubes 2.2. in both transversal directions 11.1 and 11.2 and therear form tubes 2.2 thus have the same free inner cross section has thefront form tubes 22.1 can be performed by moving the longitudinal pressplunger 4 forward in the longitudinal pressing direction 10 a andsubsequent slicing with the new meat strand 100 has commenced asdescribed supra.

A second embodiment of the cutting machine 1 that differs from FIGS.1A-1E, 2A-2D, 3A-3C, 4A-4D, 5A-5I and 5K-5N is illustrated in FIGS. 6Aand 6B with the two form tubes 2 arranged adjacent to each other in FIG.6A in the loading position and in FIG. 6B in the slicing position. Alsothis embodiment can simultaneously process two respective meat strands100 onto adjacent tracks.

The second embodiment differs from the embodiment of FIGs. FIGS. 1A-1E,2A-2D, 3A-3C, 4A-4D and 5A-5N as follows:

On the one hand side in order to perform approaching and off-setting therear U-shaped components 2.2 b relative to the rear transversal pressplunger 2.2 a or the transversal press plunger 2.1+2.a extending over anentire axial length of the form tubes are moved apart or together. Inthe first transversal direction 11.1, wherein the two components keeptheir parallel alignment relative to each other in that in turn usingthe scissor rod arrangement 19 the rear U-shaped component 2.2 b isoffset from a remainder of the form tube 2, thus not by pivoting about apivot axis,

Thus each rear U-shaped component 2.2 b extends forward downward also inthe loading position illustrated in FIG. 6A with the consequence that ameat strand 100 that is moved towards a rear end by the in feed conveyor14 a, b and eventually protrudes beyond the front end of the conveyor 14a, b is tipped into the U-shaped component 2.2 b and slides downwardtherein so that a separate in feed slide can be omitted.

For this purpose the in feed conveyor 14 a,b has to move the meatstrands 100 to a level of a rear end of the rear U-shaped component 2.2b that is in the loading position and can be configured not onlyhorizontal at its front end but also slightly downward inclined in orderto facilitate drop in.

FIGS. 7A-7C1 illustrate a second embodiment of a cutting unit 27 whosebasic operating motions are illustrated in FIGS. 8A and 8B.

As evident from the configuration in FIGS. 7A-7C1 the cutting unit 27has a bar shaped blade 3 wherein the bar shaped cross section is thinenough so that the blade 3 is better designated as strip shaped.

The cutting unit 27 includes a base element 32 which is moved far enoughdownward in the first blade transversal direction 31.1 for cutting off aslice so that the cutting edge 3 a of the blade 3 attached therein whichis straight in this embodiment and extends through a cross section ofthe meat strand 100 in its entirety as illustrated in FIG. 7C1.

The base element 32 includes two side carriers 32.a that are offset fromeach other which are supplemented by two spacer rods 32 b offset inparallel to each other and extending transversal to the extension of thelateral beams 32 a extending transversal to the first blade transversaldirection 31.1 wherein the spacer rod 32 b have a circular cross sectionand supplement the side beams 32 a to form a base element frame 32.

The blade unit 33 is attached at a lower spacer rod of the two spacerrods 32 b in which the blade 3 is arranged.

The blade unit 33 includes three support struts 35 that are offset fromeach other in the longitudinal direction of the lower spacer rod 32 bwherein the support rods 32 are pivot ably supported at the spacer rod32 b and firmly connected at their free end with a support plate 34 thatis continuous over all three support struts 35. The support plate 34thus extends in the same direction as the spacer rod 32 b, thus in thesecond blade transversal direction 31.2.

Thus, the strip shaped blade 3 is arranged in the feed direction 10 adirectly behind the back side of the support blade 34 so that itprotrudes beyond the support edge 34 a of the support plate 34 with itscutting edge arranged at the bottom edge of the blade 3, but move ablerelative to the support blade 34 in the second blade transversaldirection 31.2 the extension of the blade edge 3 a.

As illustrated in the enlarged detail view of FIG. 7C1 the blade 4contacts with a front surface at t shoulder that is machined into a backside of the support plate 34, wherein the shoulder is arranged at aslant angle relative to the front side of the support plate 34.

Thus, the blade 3 is arranged with its cross section is arranged at aslant angle to a cross section of the support blade 34 and the cuttingedge 3 a of the blade 3 protrudes against the feed direction optionallyeven slightly beyond the front surface of the support plate 34.

Thus, in this case the blade 3 is arranged on its front surface at aslant angle to form a cutting edge 3 a, wherein the bevel of the frontsurface of the blade 3 defines the blade plane 3′ and can as statedsupra be oriented against the feed direction 10 a slightly in adirection of the form tube in front of the front surface of the supportplate 34.

This is achieved in that the blade 3 with each of its ends is attachedat the free end of a respective drive lever 36 which is respectivelyconfigured as a two arm drive lever and pivot able in its center portionat opposite ends of the support plate 34 that are arranged opposite toeach other in the main extension of the blade plate 34, the second bladetransversal direction 31.2 about a lever axis 36′ arranged transversalto the blade plane 3″ and thus also to the support plate plane 34′.

The other two free ends of the drive levers 36 are connected with eachother by a coupling rod 37 so that the oscillating back and forthmovement caused by a blade motor 38 of the driven pivot lever 36 is nottransmitted by the blade 3 itself but also by the coupling rod 37 to theother pivot lever 36 so that the blade 3 can be configured less stable.

It is appreciated that the pivot levers 36 can also be configured as onearm levers and so that the engagement point of the pivot lever driven bythe blade motor 38 and operatively connected with the driven pivot lever36 has to be in an operative connection between the pivot axis 36′ andthe attachment point of the blade 3 at the pivot lever 36.

Due to the pivot levers 36 pivoting about their lever axis 36′ the blade3 and also its cutting edge 3 a does not perform an exact linearoscillating movement of its straight cutting edge 34 a but a slightlyarcuate movement whose curvature radius corresponds to a distancebetween the lever axis 36′ and the attachment end of the blade 3 foreach pivot lever 36. Subsequently and oscillating back and forthmovement is described for simplification movement.

Due to the pivotable attachment of the support rods 35 about the lowerpacer rod 32 b furthermore the entire blade unit 33 including supportrod 35, support plate 34, blade 3, drive levers 36 can be pivoted backand forth about the spacer rod 32 b using as a pivot axis 28′ whereinthe lower spacer rod has a circular cross section wherein the pivotingis performed from to cutting position to a lift off position.

In FIG. 7C1 the cutting position is illustrated in which the blade plane3′ is arranged parallel to the first blade transversal direction 31.1into which the base element 32 is moved along the machine frame in orderto cut off slices.

FIG. 7C2 on the other hand side illustrates the lift off position inwhich the blade unit 33 is pivot able by a small amount about the pivotaxis 28′, thus about the lower spacer rod 32 b in the feed direction 10a thus away from the meat strand.

FIGS. 7D1 and 7D2 illustrate an embodiment which differs only slightlyfrom the embodiment of FIGS. 7C1 and 7C2.

On the one hand side the motor 38 is not arranged forward protruding atthe base frame 27 but extending parallel to the base frame 27 at a sideof the base frame 27.

The motor 28 drives the blade 3′ through a connecting rod 31 directlyoscillating along an extension, wherein the blade is operativelyconnected with the slide 39 which is supported in the and extensiondirection of the blade 3′.

The motion sequence of the blade 3 resulting therefrom is evident fromFIGS. 8A and 8B which are similar to the representations in FIGS. 4A-4Cand have the same viewing direction.

FIG. 8A illustrates the condition during cutting off a slice by thecutting movement 28 a in the first blade transversal direction 31.1 andthe superimposed back and forth movement of the cutting edge 3 a in thesecond blade transversal direction 31.2 wherein the blade which is inthe cutting position according to FIG. 7C1 with respect to the cuttingunit 27 has just cut the slice 101 off completely.

FIG. 8B illustrates the condition in which after completely cutting offa slice 101 the blade unit 33 with the blade 3 was moved into the liftoff condition and thus moves the cut off slice 101 away from the meatstrand 100 and thus facilitates dropping the slice onto the weighingstation 19 thus in particular immediately, thus before the reversalmovement 28 c has started in the first blade transversal direction 31.1already facilitates moving the meat strand 100 forward which also was agoal of the blade movements 28 a-d in FIGS. 4A-4C.

Contrary to the solution described herein only the cutting edge 3 a ofthe blade 3 performs the annular orbit able movement including thecutting movement 28 a, lift off movement 28 b, return movement 28 c andthe feed movement 28 d as described in FIGS. 4A-4C with the differencethat the lift off movement 28 b in FIGS. 8A and 8B is no straightmovement but a slightly arcuate movement in the blade plane 3′.

The pivot movement is also performed by the same cutting unit 33 besidesbeing performed by the cutting edge 3 a but lifting off from the faceside of the meat strand 100 is accordingly less than the lift off of thecutting edge 3 a corresponding to the smaller distance from the pivotaxis 28′.

This embodiment of the cutting unit achieves the same advantages withrespect to the early onset of feeding of the meat strand 100 for cuttingoff the new slice 101 but a disadvantage of the solution of a rotatingcircular disc shaped or cycle shaped blade 3 is prevented which is basedon the fact that a blade 3 of this type extending over two or more meatstrands 100 adjacent to each other and cutting them simultaneouslyavoids the large mass of a blade of this type which has to beaccelerated and slowed down for each cutting process.

1. A cutting machine for producing slices and in particular portionsassembled from a plurality of weight precise slices from meat strands,wherein the cutting machine comprises: comprises a least one form tubethat is open at a front side and at a back side of said at least oneform tube and extends in a longitudinal pressing direction, thatcorresponds to an axial direction for a respective meat strand, alongitudinal press plunger for each of the form tubes wherein thelongitudinal press plunger is insertable into the form tube from a rearloading end of the form tube in a longitudinal pressing direction, acutting unit disposed at the front cutting end of each of the at leastone form tube and having a blade for cutting off slices from the strand,wherein the blade can be moved in a controlled manner in a firsttransversal direction relative to the at least one form tube using thecutting unit, wherein the blade being disposed for movement in acontrolled manner in the longitudinal pressing direction, relative tothe at least one form tube as controlled by a control using the cuttingunit.
 2. The cutting machine according to claim 1, wherein a stop platethat is a component of the cutting unit, wherein the stop plate can bemoved in the first transversal direction and is fixedly connected to theblade in the first transversal direction, the stop plate, remains at anadjusted axial position, unless a change of the slice thickness isperformed by adjusting the axial distance between the stop plate and thefront end of the form tube, in particular, as viewed in the longitudinalpressing direction, the blade and the stop plate do not overlap witheach other, and define a narrow gap of less than 20 mm in between theblade and the stop plate.
 3. The cutting machine according to claim 1,wherein multiple form tubes are disposed next to and parallel with eachother, and the blade has a width that extends across the multiple formtubes so that slices of the multiple form tubes can be cut off with onecut in the course of one processing step, and the blade is one of arotating, circular disc-shaped, blade or a bar-shaped or strip-shapedblade that oscillates in the extension direction of its blade edge. 4.The cutting machine according to claim 1, wherein in a circumferentialdirection, the at least one form tube consists of multiple form elementsthat are movable relative to each other in at least one of the firsttransversal direction or a second transversal direction in the at leastone form tube's circumferential direction providing a cross section thatis adjustable to the longitudinal direction in at least one of the firstor the second transversal direction, wherein each form tube is dividedin the longitudinal compressing direction into a front form tube andrear form tube that are movable relative to each other obliquely to thecompressing direction between a first position in which they are alignedwith each other and a second position in which they are not aligned witheach other.
 5. The cutting machine according to claim 1, wherein aninner free cross section of the at least one form tube has respectivelytwo opposite sides extending in parallel to each other, and isrectangular or parallelogram-shaped, and the longitudinal press plungersfor the individual form tubes can be controlled independently of eachother as for their axial feed, and in particular have a sensor fordetecting the axial position of the longitudinal press plunger.
 6. Thecutting machine according to claim 1, wherein in a circumferentiallyclosed state, the at least one form tube is tilted obliquely downwardsin the longitudinal pressing direction towards its front cutting end atan angle of between 20° and 70°with respect to the horizontal line, anda stop plate extending in parallel to the blade plane and perpendicularto the longitudinal press direction is arranged on a side of the bladethat is located opposite the form tube, wherein a position of the stopplate is adjustable in its axial distance relative to the blade in thelongitudinal pressing direction.
 7. The cutting machine according toclaim 4, wherein an intermediate plate is provided between the frontform tube and the rear form tube, wherein the intermediate plate ismovable in a controlled manner in a transversal direction relative tothe longitudinal pressing direction between a closed position where itcloses the free inner cross section of the form tube and an openposition where it leaves the free inner cross section of the form tubeopen, wherein the intermediate plate is in particular separatelymovable.
 8. (canceled)
 9. The cutting machine according to claim 4,wherein at least a rear form element of the rear form tube is lowerableinto a substantially horizontal loading position, and aligned with aninfeed conveyor for strands.
 10. The cutting machine according to claim4, wherein the rear form tube comprises two rear form elements and, whenviewed in the longitudinal pressing direction, a first rear form elementof each rear form tube is a U-shaped component and a second rear formelement is a transversal press plunger movable relative to the U-shapedcomponent, wherein the transversal press plunger fits sealingly tight ina second transversal direction into an open circumferential side of theU-shaped component and is insertable into the U-shaped component. 11.(canceled)
 12. (canceled)
 13. (canceled)
 14. (canceled)
 15. The cuttingmachine according to claim 10, wherein the U-shaped element includes aform tube band and a transversal pressing wall that are jointly movablein the second transversal direction in a scissor arrangement. 16.(canceled)
 17. (canceled)
 18. The cutting machine according to claim 1,wherein, a wall of the form tube that is arranged opposite to a formtube band is formed by a transversal press plunger that is insertableinto the U-shaped component, and the transversal press plunger ismovably arranged in a second transversal direction and two form tubeelements including a transversal pressing wall on one side and the formtube band together with a side wall attached thereto are also movable inthe second transversal direction.
 19. The cutting machine according toclaim 4, wherein the at least one front form tube is made from two frontform elements wherein one form tube element is configured as a U-shapedcomponent viewed in the longitudinal direction and the other of the twofront form elements is configured to fit as a movable transversal pressplunger into a free inner cross section of the U-shaped component and isinsertable in a second transversal direction, and in the longitudinaldirection, the at least one front form tube has a length of at least 5cm, and the front form tube has a length of between 2% and 50% of theentire length of the form tube.
 20. The cutting machine according toclaim 1, wherein the longitudinal press plunger is replaceably arrangedat a piston rod driving the longitudinal press plunger, and the cuttingmachine includes a control which controls all movable components of thecutting machine in a desired and time-based and local correlationrelative to each other in their motions.
 21. (canceled)
 22. (canceled)23. A method for producing slices from a meat strand made from anelastic material, e.g. a meat strand to produce portions that areassembled from a plurality of slices in a weight precise manner, themethod including the steps of: arranging a meat strand in a form tube,compressing the meat strand in the form tube in at least a transversaldirection and in a longitudinal pressing direction of the form tube,moving the strand forward in the longitudinal pressing direction beyonda forward cutting end of the form tube, cutting a slice off from eachstrand in front of the front cutting end of the form tube using a bladeby moving the blade through the strand from a starting position into atransversal direction to the longitudinal compressing direction, axiallymoving the blade in the longitudinal pressing direction following eachcut over a duration of movement, and during the duration of movement,moving the strand to beyond the front end of the form tube, and movingthe blade backward to the starting position in the transversal directionas well as counter to the longitudinal compressing direction beforecutting off the next slice.
 24. The method according to claim 23,further comprising the steps of: moving the strand forward after theslice has been cut off, and before the blade has moved out of thecross-sectional area of the form tube in the transversal direction asviewed in the longitudinal compressing direction, moving the bladeforward in the longitudinal compressing direction immediately after theslice has been cut off by at least the thickness of one slicesubsequently or simultaneously to the backwards movement of the blade inthe transversal direction into the starting position.
 25. (canceled) 26.The method according to claim 23, wherein in the longitudinal direction,each form tube is configured in two pieces with a front form tube and arear form tube, and further comprising the steps of: moving the strandfurther forward in the feed direction in the front form tube during thecutting the slice off step using a longitudinal press plunger until thestrand is completely cut up, beginning to load the rear form tube with anew strand to be cut as soon as the rear end of the strand is locatedonly in the axial area of the front form tube in the corresponding formtube.
 27. (canceled)
 28. (canceled)
 29. The method according to claim23, wherein in the longitudinal direction, each form tube is configuredin two pieces with a front form tube and a rear form tube, and furthercomprising the steps of: compressing of the strand meat strand in thefront form tube in at least a transversal direction; compressing themeat strand in the rear form tube in at least the transversal direction;controlling the transversal compression of the strand in the front formtube independently of the transversal compression in the rear form tube,and setting the inner free cross section of the front form tube and therear form tube in the compressed state to be aligned with each other.30. The method according to claim 23, further comprising the steps of:simultaneously processing at least two strands are arranged next to eachother on multiple processing tracks, cutting off one slice from the atleast two strands arranged next to each other in the same processingstep by the same blade.
 31. (canceled)
 32. The method according to claim23, further comprising the steps of: compressing the meat strand in therear form tube longitudinally against an intermediate plate using thelongitudinal press plunger, wherein the intermediate plate is disposedbetween the front form tube and the rear form tube that is alignedtherewith, and perpendicular to the longitudinal compressing direction,moving the intermediate plate in the transversal direction between aclosed position in which the inner free space of the form tube is closedand an open position in which the inner free space remains open, andmoving the meat strand forward in the longitudinal pressing directioninto the front form tube and compressing the meat strand against a stopplate when the intermediate plate is in the open position. 33.(canceled)
 34. (canceled)
 35. (canceled)
 36. The method according toclaim 23, further comprising the steps of: moving the meat strandforward in the rear form tube, by moving at least one opposing wall ofthe rear form tube in the longitudinal direction together with the meatstrand.
 37. (canceled)